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Husband and Wife Run Their First Boston Marathon Together Thanks to Acura of Auburn

Auburn, MA – As the official automotive sponsor of the 2017 Boston Marathon, the New England Acura Dealers are providing Jason LaCroix (44) and Sarah LaCroix (39) of Bedford, NH and other Boston Marathon first-timers the opportunity to run this historic race.

Sponsored by Acura of Auburn, husband and wife Jason and Sarah LaCroix of Bedford, NH will be running their first Boston Marathon this year.

The 121st Boston Marathon will kick off with more than 30,000 participants running through Hopkinton, Ashland, Framingham, Wellesley, Natick, Brookline, Newton, and Boston on Monday, April 17.

Ken Bowen, general manager of Acura of Auburn, who made the decision to sponsor Jason and his wife explained that he has known Jason for a long time. “I know he will bring the same passion he has for the auto industry to training and the 26.2-mile course come April 17,” said Bowen.

Since attending their first Boston Marathon in 2012, Jason and Sarah made it a shared goal to lace up their sneakers and hit the course from Hopkinton to Boston together. This year they will be running their first-ever Boston Marathon but with very different motives.

Jason was slow to adopt running but with two marathons now under his belt he is ready to tackle “the people’s marathon, the ultimate runner’s dream” the Boston Marathon. As he described, “no person or persons can get in the way of the Boston Marathon being one of the all-time best sporting days of the year.”

For Jason’s wife, Sarah, the end of April marks a milestone birthday. “I am not getting any younger, and I have always said I would run Boston before I turn 40!” she said. “Well, the time is now. I want to find a way to challenge myself and be healthy in mind and body. Is there any better way than my first marathon ever?”

With both on the road constantly, which many may see as a training obstacle, the LaCroixs seem to be invigorated by the opportunity to explore on training runs. Jason recently visited Houston for this year’s Super Bowl and made sure to schedule time for a 15-mile run.

“I was getting tired around 10 miles and I thought, ‘How often do you get the opportunity to run 15 miles in Houston?’” he said. “I train, and my mind and body might get tired but I keep thinking about how I am training for the Boston Marathon. What’s cooler than that?” said Jason.

Sarah, on the other hand, has a deeper drive when tackling her training. Born with a heart defect, Sarah spent most of her childhood being treated by the staff at Boston Children’s Hospital. “I would love to write a letter to my childhood cardiologist and say ‘thank you,’ that because of him I finished the Boston Marathon after years of not being able to run,” she said. “I want to be able to say that I did it.”

Understanding that each stride along the course has significance, Jason explains,

“I will run for every sick child that is struggling much more than I can imagine. I’ll run for the families. I’ll run for the people who were injured in the bombings. I’ll run for those that protect us. I will run with so much excitement my feet will just keep going.”

“The Boston Marathon is the best marathon in the world. Patriots Day in Boston is the best day of the year, and this year Mr. and Mrs. LaCroix will be participating,” Bowen said. “Acura of Auburn can’t wait to cheer on Jason and Sarah and are thrilled they are running in honor of our beloved Ron Bouchard and raising necessary funds for Dana-Farber.” If you would like to donate funds to Dana-Farber in honor of Ron and to support Jason and Sarah’s journey please contact Acura of Auburn.

Jason, also can’t hold back his excitement, “I look forward to conquering this goal. I look forward to proudly wearing a Boston Marathon jacket – the same jacket I see all the time and am always envious of.” So come cheer on this married duo at the 121st running of the Boston Marathon.

Throughout the year, NEADA will support the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) for this year’s Boston Marathon, B.A.A. Half Marathon, and B.A.A. 5K through advertising and community outreach, as they did in 2016. To kick off this year’s partnership, NEADA hosted a live art show at the 2017 New England International Auto Show where teens and their mentors from local group Artists for Humanity painted a unique mural on a brand‐new 2017 MDX under the theme, ”We Are Boston.” As the official automotive sponsor, the NEADA will provide the official pace cars leading the Boston Marathon, including a 2017 NSX, the painted MDX, and the complete Acura lineup to showcase along the course.

About the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.):Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit organization with a mission of promoting a healthy lifestyle through sports, especially running. The B.A.A.’s Boston Marathon is the world’s oldest annual marathon, and the organization manages other local events and supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round running programs, including high-performance athletes and running club. Since 1986, the principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon has been John Hancock Financial. The Boston Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, along with international marathons in Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City. More than 60,000 runners participated in B.A.A. events in 2016. The 121st Boston Marathon will be held on Monday, April 17, 2017. For more information on the B.A.A., please visit www.baa.org.

About the New England Acura Dealers Association:The New England Acura Dealers Association consists of seven dealerships throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire: Acura of Auburn, Acura of Boston, Acura of Peabody, Herb Connolly Acura, Prime Acura, Prime Acura North and Sunnyside Acura. Please see neacuradealers.com for more information.